Lycanthrope: Cover of Night

After a full ten minutes of combing the tangles out of her long auburn hair, Roxanne realized that the cabin break was over and free time on the camp grounds would begin. This was the perfect time to record her recent stakeout of the night before. She grabbed her tablet and ushered the kids outside.

“Will you play Gaga with us, Carlie?” one of the girls asked, tugging on her hand.

“I’ll watch for sure. I’ve got a few things I have to take care of in my notes. Maybe on the next round,” she assured the child.

Roxanne sat down on the bench that over looked the sand pit with all the kids eagerly taking their place in it. Besides the fast-paced competition that kept Roxanne on her toes and her back arched, it was the fact that every player was looking out for himself which made it so much fun.

Unlike most organized sports where everyone must depend on someone else, the true victory for the winner was that he or she had what it took to stand above the rest, whether through skill or sheer dumb luck.

The game began and so did the sound of the ball thudding against the wooden beams and the groaning of kids as they were eliminated. A little brown-haired boy sat next to Roxanne on the bench.

“Better luck next time, Bradley,” she laughed while patting his back, and then returned to her notes.

After two rounds, she was up to date.

“And tonight, I’ll go a little farther,” she thought.

A shadow crept up and Roxanne didn’t need to have her wolf sense of smell to know that someone was standing behind her. She turned off her tablet and exhaled a slow sigh.

“Hi, Josie,” she said, not bothering to turn towards the stocky head counselor who never spoke to her unless she was patronizing or messing up her train of thought. According to Roxanne, whenever Josie was near, Roxanne always seemed to come under her scrutiny.

“You knew it was me?” Josie asked, trying to sound efficient and covering up that she wanted to catch Roxanne off guard.

“Your horrid toilet water would get a hive of bees in heat,” Roxanne was tempted to say, but instead chirped, “Lucky guess.”

“I see. So, are you watching the kids or catching up on memoirs again?”

It wasn’t a question. It was an accusation.

“Nope, just talking about the beautiful weather and the peaceful company,” Roxanne taunted, not bothering to look up at her.

Then she added in a more serious matter of fact voice, “I haven’t left this area since free time and I’ve been here since the beginning of the game, Josie.”

“Well, I certainly hope so,” Josie finished crisply, and then left without another word.

Roxanne rolled her eyes.

“I’ve done everything I’m supposed to. I lead my group’s activities, make sure they’re drinking enough water, always get a head count, and call roll. Why doesn’t she piss off? I’m doing everything right but kiss her ass. Hell, I even provide moral support for the shyer ones. However, she never ceases to get on my case.”

Though she saw some perks in taking a job as a camp counselor, especially with a fake alias, it had been a long week of tracking the rough terrain of the West Virginia Mountains. Running up the high slopes and leaping over deep crevices in her Lycan form burned more calories than a shark. Not to mention, combing the forest’s rocks and roots to find a scent that might show whereabouts to the portal’s entrance, was beginning to take its toll on her.

This followed the months of training of archery, knife fighting, and combat tactics conducted by Axel, Hans, and even Lucille, the treasurer of Grexis.

“I don’t understand why I can’t just make camp in the forest,” she had complained to Axel. “It would save me a lot of time if I didn’t have to play camp counselor during the day only to steal a few hours in the forest at night.”

“One, because it’s part of your initiation to undergo a different identity,” he declared. “And two, the suspected leak is in a national reserve that will be combed with park rangers during the day. They’re already hoping to cash in on a new species and sightings. Some wolf hybrid would only add to the pot.”

Roxanne could almost mimic Axel’s voice as he read the latest OFTP or Orders from the Pack.

“There have been newscasts of tracks in the West Virginia Mountains. Apparently, a couple hiking along the trails said they had seen giant boar tracks zigzagging along the trails leading through the valley.”

“What’s weird about that?” Roxanne asked, half interested.

“Nothing, except these cloven hoof prints were reported to be the size a bear paw. Either some wild pigs got into a barrel of steroids or something other worldly is making an appearance, most likely ‘porswine’.”

“Damn I was hoping that solar storm was just a fluke,” Roxanne grumbled. “But apparently they must not miss a beat.”

“Do you think you’re ready for this? You know I won’t be there to help you?” he asked, looking sympathetic.

“I guess I’ll find out once I get there,” she shrugged and then smiled. “Yes, I’m ready. I’m going to look at it like an adventure.”

“Well if you need moral support, you’re welcome to contact me or the others. I’ll drop tabs on you to hear about your progress as well.”

“Sounds good, just do it at night, when I’m less likely to be around any humans.”

“Will do. Remember after you’re done with this test, you’ll have your ascension ceremony to look forward to.”

Bringing herself back to the present, she rose from the bench and ushered the campers to the flag poles after the head counselors rang the assembly bell. The only thing that broke her concentration on her perfect strut was a certain young man walking next to her.

“Hey Carly. Don’t let her get under your skin,” he assured Roxanne. “She’s only as intimidating as her daddy’s money makes her out to be. After that, it’s only her demeanor that needs no help scaring off children.”

“I know, right?” Roxanne laughed.

“‘We bring the wild to your children’,” Zaac quoted the camp pamphlet. “A little too much, wouldn’t you say?”

“Agreed, the question is how do we take a she beast out of the head counselor uniform and put it back in the wild?” Roxanne joked. The two laughed and Roxanne felt herself a little giddy.

She liked Zaac and appreciated his humor and easy-going demeanor. That and the fact that he was the only other counselor that didn’t suck up to Josie Taylor.

One of the campers clung to his hand. “Hey Zaac, you oughta tell ghost stories in the cabin tonight,” he proposed mischievously.

“Geeze, you all thought my story was stupid and this morning I get yelled at because half the cabin wet their bunks. I’m not going through that again,” Zaac prompted.

“Hey, I didn’t wet my bed!” the boy yelled.

Roxanne playfully ruffled his hair. “Well, let’s hope not. By the way what story did you tell them?” she asked him.

“It’s called ’Prison Clown,” he sighed, “and it’s made up.”

“Prison Clown?!” Roxanne asked with a mind racing at what type of story that might be. “Geeze, I bet you did get an earful.”

“Yeah, Josie doesn’t have much tolerance for horror stories,” Zaac grumbled.

“That and other things,” Roxanne laughed, gazing at her beckoning notes.

***

As the day waned on, Roxanne’s group and all the others were shuffled around the campsite. Whether it was swimming in the pool, playing sports in the field, or doing crafts in the halls, they stuck to an orderly schedule.

As they migrated toward the volleyball net, Roxanne examined the trees that crept out of the dense valley. Her blood grew hot with excitement from thoughts of shedding her human form once the sun set.

“Only four hours and the camp tucks in,” she purred, silently taunting something well hidden from her wolf eyes.

She kept her promise. Once the lights were out and campers tucked in their beds, Roxanne carefully closed the door behind her and with a quick leap she jumped on all fours and headed toward the valley.

Josie’s private cabin’s lights were still on and Roxanne figured she must be entertaining some of the higher rank counselors. She stood on her hind legs by the window and sure enough, the camp owner’s daughter was surrounded by several others, drinking beer and laughing at dumb jokes.

Of course, she and her fellow lower rank counselors would be skinned alive if they were caught drinking. Roxanne was tempted to run her nails over the glass in her beast form.

“Come on Josie,” she secretly would beckon. “See what’s tapping, tapping on your chamber door.”

Though the expression of Josie’s terrified look on her face seemed irresistible, she knew better and kept herself out of the window’s light.

“Nah, you’re not worth my time and I have a job to do. Sweet dreams.”

With a turn of her tail, she kicked up her feet and stole away into the night.

***

The fish and frogs scattered as their sleep was disturbed by a pair of dainty feet skimming their muddy domain. The young lycanthrope had been bathing in a forest pool deep within the valley after finishing her hunt.

The ancient trees enveloped the pool like a cave. Only light shards of the full moon were permitted to break the darkness. Roxanne swirled the sandy bottom with her big toe as she spread her arms out behind her. It felt good bathing in something that wouldn’t sterilize her skin with excess chlorine.

Seeing the natural beauty, Roxanne almost wished her troupe would be allowed to venture beyond the campgrounds. But Josie was so fixated on keeping everyone on a tight leash, they were lucky to just visit the trails. Roxanne had received a little of her own hell when Josie threatened to expel her when they ventured off the trail.

“Oh well,” Roxanne thought. “Maybe I’ll come back here after things settle down. Perfect place to run and hunt.”

She looked down at her reflection and enjoyed the sight of changing back and forth from wolf to human. It never ceased to amuse her how she could change simply by will.

She laid her head back into the water and raised her legs and torso while spreading her arms out so that she might float on the water’s surface like a leaf. Her pale bare body shimmered like an opal under the moon.

She had left her clothes on the bank, though it wasn’t as if she was afraid that they would become lost during her transformation. In fact, because her clothes took on the role of keeping her warm or covered like fur, her body wouldn’t tell the difference. She could will them out of the way during transformation just as she could fur or even utilities.

And after such a long day of playing the proper human camp counselor and then attending her lycanthrope duties, why shouldn’t she be allowed some fun in the privacy of the deep wilderness?

That’s exactly what she thought as she closed her eyes.

The next thing that Roxanne saw was a memory of Axel’s teachings depicted in a dream state. She was walking on what looked to be the early landscapes of Rome before it even had a name. The memory of Axel’s voice narrated her surroundings.

“Now, I know you’re already familiar with our teachings, but it’s part of the formal procedure when initiating into Grexis.”

“Yay, story time!” Roxanne chirped.

“According to human history, the city of Rome, whose teachings are what shaped ancient civilization, was founded by Romulus and Remus. While the brothers are still remembered to this day, the she-wolf that supposedly suckled them back to health is left without much regard. In truth she was no ordinary wolf, but a lycanthrope seeking Earth in hopes to escape temporarily from a beautiful, restless, shape-shifting infested world known as Allosfaire.

When she saw the infants barely supported by a floating log after their usurper for an uncle tossed them in, she dove in the swift current and guided them back to the safety of the river bank,” he lectured dramatically.

Roxanne herself saw their mother wolf, Aclarenchia, wandering aimlessly over the mystical land until she found a leak into Earth.

“She had chosen the human world to raise her pups when the time came. However, given the situation at hand, she decided to raise the human infants instead. The idea spurred that if her offspring came from another realm, they would have a better chance of survival and one day join her in Allosfaire.

So, it took off from there. The milk from the enchanted creature nurtured the twin boys in a way that they would grow to be stronger, smarter, and braver than the average human.

In time, a shepherd found them and brought them back to civilization where they eventually grew in knowledge of politics and war.

Secretly, they still remembered their wolf mother.

All of a sudden, Roxanne found herself dressed in Roman soldier’s attire and was training in combat with a man that looked just like Axel.

She slashed her practice sword. He blocked it and swung at her in return.

Even dreaming, Roxanne’s combating skills had not been forgotten upon her arrival to Ipsum, the town where the organization Grexis resided. She navigated through the clearing as she stalked her mentor until he confronted her again.

Axel’s voice continued. “Unfortunately, the men grew hot headed and rash and Romulus slew his brother in a feud over who should rule the present city Rome.”

At the same time, the man that looked like Axel’s face suddenly changed and resembled what historians pictured Remus to have looked like. His sword slipped from his hand and Roxanne found herself applying pressure on the end of hers and ending her rival’s life.

“As the years passed, Romulus began to discard the wolf as a vivid child’s dream, until one night, an old acquaintance paid him a visit.”

The setting changed and now Roxanne was lying in the bedroom that overlooked Romulus’s kingdom. To her horror, she felt something sharp and heavy pressing into her chest.

Roxanne gasped when she saw a pair of cold blue eyes glaring down on her. Even though it was only a dream and the words were meant for the offender Romulus, the vividness made her shiver.

“Casualties of war are a common occurrence practiced in both your world and mine. However, after sparing you from such an empty sentence, I would at least hope you would not take your brother’s life for granted for the sake of a city’s name,” a deep female voice taunted above her.

The dream turned nightmarish as the bed beneath her gave way and Roxanne felt herself falling into a bottomless pit.

While falling, she could see the wolf berating Romulus.

“Murdering your own brother? Enslaving your fallen enemies? Rape of the Sabine women? Of all the atrocities you create to maintain order, are you any different from the beasts I hoped to be rid of coming here?!” she demanded.

Romulus fell to his knees and sobbed.

“Forgive me, Mother Wolf. I hadn’t meant to hurt Remus. It was just a stupid fight that came with an unintentional end. Yes, the brutality against the Sabines may have been vile, but in the end these women will give bloodlines to noble families and be rich, protected, and privileged,” he persuaded the she-wolf.

She flattened her ears. “Ah yes, the ends justify the means. Where have I heard that before?” she growled, sarcastically. “I take it back. Perhaps you lean too far on the other side with these humans!”

“Have you not seen the justice branch and the beautiful expansions of the city? Its people are educated and civilized,” Romulus replied. “Soon its armies will be strong enough to ward off not just rivaling humans, but even threats from Allosfaire.

“Please Mother Wolf, I have not forgotten your kindness. I’ve just been readying myself in this world, so we may be strong enough in the other.”

Roxanne found the bottom in the dream and Axel’s voice continued on.

“So Aclarenchia forgave her son, but not without a price. Romulus’s armies and bloodlines found the blessed joy of being of Lycan descent but, they were confined to this world. Only when they succeeded in the trials, could they leave the mortal world and freely flourish in Allosfaire.”

“Roxanne, are you awake?” came a deep voice.

“Gahhh! Whoa, what?” she stammered, coming to while submerging her hips below the water’s surface and frantically crossing her arms over her breasts. She wasn’t sure what startled her more, the fact that she could be caught skinny dipping or that someone had used her real name.

When she realized the voice wasn’t coming from something physically present, her body relaxed, and she responded to the far-off attendant.

“Hello Axel. You’re up awfully late, aren’t you?”

“Actually, I’ve been planning your ascension meeting. I was just seeing if you were up because I figured this would be the safest time to contact you,” he replied.

He was right. They couldn’t risk communicating telepathically during the day without risking her sounding like she was talking to herself, or worse, revealing herself to the wrong person.

“Yep, you caught me. You’ll be happy to know that I’ve completely taken out all outer perimeters. It should be smooth sailing tracking the center of the stakeout,” said Roxanne.

“Really, you’ve already marked the center location? What about porswine, have you met any of those?”

“Yes, yes, and yes,” she answered. “The stronger vibrances circling the stakeout have proven my estimation on where the leak is. Plus, I found several of those overgrown hedge hogs traveling through a crevice leading west of it. I will follow their scent through the crevice and it should lead me right to it.”

“Great job, Roxanne. I tell you, you’ve got an edge,” Axel commended. “It took most of the older members of Grexis months just to finish their first initiation task.”

“Let’s not forget some of their stations were in Allosfaire itself,” Roxanne corrected him. “And I think we all know that place is a hell of a lot more unpredictable than the human world.”

“Keep in mind they were a lot older and more experienced than you.”

“Yeah, that’s all Lucille keeps in mind about me,” Roxanne added dryly.

“You don’t like her, do you?” asked Axel.

“It’s not that, she’s the one that always snubs me whenever I’m near because I’m not age and size qualified,” Roxanne complained.

“Whatever conclusions you have, she obviously thinks you have potential. After all she’s the one organizing your ascension,” Axel stated. “So, give yourself some credit, you’re being too modest.”

“Oh, I’m making up for that right now,” Roxanne giggled.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

“Look, it’s almost two A.M.,” Axel said, sounding tired. “Just wanted to check in on you before turning in. I suggest you do the same if you plan to wrap things up shortly.”

“Sounds good. Tell Lucille and the others to keep an eye on the calendar because Sunday marks my homecoming,” Roxanne said proudly.

Her pace wasn’t much faster than the usual, but she wanted to make time if she was going to catch a few hours in her comfy bunk. The shortcut she had chosen would lead her directly over the deep ravines and back to the camp’s hiking trails.

Just up ahead was the hanging woodwork that marked the trail’s entrance that would lead back into the camp. Roxanne’s eyelids felt like thick drapes and she was already exhausted by the kid’s activities that she would have to carry out tomorrow.

“Don’t worry, Rox,” she told herself. “Nothing that shit loads of coffee in the morning won’t be able to fix.”

As she walked on, a feral cat-like scream pierced through the forest and drifted among the grounds. The cry must have woken Josie because her cabin light came on and Roxanne could faintly hear the murmuring of sudden alert from several orderlies.

“Crap, that’s right. Since the suspicious animal sightings, Josie hired some rangers to patrol in case something goes up,” Roxanne muttered.

She saw the rangers’ flashlights and could smell them approaching. She darted back to the pavilion and hid under the picnic tables.

“It’s okay, I know these grounds like any other stakeout. I just need to find my way back to my cabin undetected.”

Her body shook as her bones compressed back into the form of a human skeleton. Her skin glowed as her fur shed and her tail twisted and disappeared. She felt tingly all over just as she had whenever she changed abruptly.

“Just remember Axel’s training.”

Time was running out, she had to move.

“Pin point their location.”

She pulled her black hoodie over her face, inhaled slowly, and crept beside the tables and headed north toward the pool. As the first ranger drifted in front of a small tree, Roxanne leapt to the other side of it, making sure to avoid his flashlight’s sight.

“Counter their movement. . .”

The ranger seemed to lose interest and headed back the way he came.

She relaxed until she sensed another ranger coming toward her on the other side of the pavilion. Roxanne pulled herself over the pool’s gate just before the second ranger would have spotted her and made her way along the inside of the pool to avoid contact.

Keeping crouched, she took to the north-western corner. Just before she reached it, she smelled the second ranger approaching the northern side and saw one of his hands reach over the wall to pull himself up. Roxanne ducked behind one of the chairs as he scanned all along the pool.

The chair did a good job covering her up, so the ranger moved on.

“And stay out of sight.”

The ranger took his time scanning the ground along the fences and behind the trees and shrubs. As he moved, Roxanne made careful calculation to move in the exact opposite direction as he made a roundabout search. She let her sense of smell tell when he had moved on.

Once he was gone, she made her way into the bush maze and carefully analyzed each twist and turn, and more importantly, dead ends. She strained her eyes to see through the encroaching darkness, for the easiest route to get closer to the campers’ cabins without being spotted. After the bush work labyrinth, the ranger standing outside seemed to be circling in a figure eight.

“He’s not going far. I’ll have to move when his back’s turned.”

She darted past and took a hideout in a low pine tree. Climbing through the branches, she had a clear shot toward her cabin now. Without another thought, she leapt from the top and landed on the ground silently in her lycanthrope form and bounded toward the destination without looking back. Roxanne was about to circle around to the door when she noticed an open window.

“Who did this? I sure as hell didn’t leave it open.”

Roxanne swiftly changed back and crawled beneath the panes before gently shutting it behind her.

“Whoever did it, I’m truly grateful.”

All was well as she noticed a ranger’s flashlight slowly drifting by, still looking for something already turned in. Roxanne shucked off her pants and top until she was only in her undies and camisole as she slid under her cotton sheets. The sound of the campers’ snoring was surprisingly comforting.

“You can’t catch what’s been in bed this whole time,” she thought playfully as she put her head down for good that night.

***

The banter of children’s chatter, shuffling chairs, and utensils rang through Roxanne’s head like a bad hangover. She rested her head in one hand and downed a second cup of coffee held in the other. It was only Zaac ’s voice that drew her out of her daze.

“Hello Carly, how are we doing this morning?” he asked, cheerily.

“Tired,” Roxanne’s response came out in more of a groan.

“You going to sign up for another counselor session?”

“Well, I only needed this session for my transcripts, so I might be heading home this weekend,”

“Really, so soon?”

“Yep, are you staying on?” she asked.

“Um, well I hadn’t really thought about it. I’m still undecided.”

He turned back to his previous question. “Didn’t you say you live in another state? Seems like a short stay.”

“Sometimes it feels like another realm. Virginia.”

Roxanne continued. “I’m going by train, so it’s easy traveling. The scholarship required that you volunteer outside of your residential area. I guess it shows that you’re willing to go out of your way for community service.”

“I see. Well I’m glad you got what you came for.” His voice sounded half disappointed and half impressed at the same time.

“Anyway, you’re farther away than I. Atlanta, right?”

“Yeah, my grandfather owns a house up here and he recommended that I spend a week or two helping out,” he shrugged.

“Ah, doing your part for the self-education and the tots I see.”

“Actually, I wanted to pursue journalism. I thought it would be a good chance to see if I could get in on the giant boar sightings,” he informed her.

“Giant boar sightings?”

“You know? The reason why Josie has all those rangers patrolling the camp. It was in the Courier and on the news,” he replied.

“Any luck?”

“I got a few pictures of its tracks and a few words from what the rangers think of it,”

“And what’s that?” Roxanne asked, inching in suspiciously.

“I don’t know. Probably just a bigger breed grazing from the mountains. Josie’s keeping a watchful eye on her staff from drifting off to avoid a lawsuit, so that’s probably as far as I’m going to get.”

“Hmm, seems like you got the basics. Just put your own theory and reason why you’re trapped up in camp nowhere and you’ll have a paper to make the couriers proud,” Roxanne joked dryly.

“Thanks Carly. I’ll keep that in mind. I hope you have a safe trip back, though I’ll admit I wish you weren’t leaving yet,” he said shyly.

“Aww he’s sad to see me go. Oh well, another girl will come along.”

Roxanne downed the remainder of the hot bitter liquid in hopes to keep awake.

***

“All right. If the stronger scent of the porswine is confined down in this crevice, then the entrance would also be down here,” she told herself as she quietly crept down the rocky trail.

The ravine was rather large, consisting of vast plant growth and towering rocks.

“No use trying to search for those dumb beasts. Better look for a scent instead.”

She strained her nose and searched the foliage and the rough ground before she caught on to the trail.

There were about six of them, three sows, two calves and one giant bull.

“Picture a boar the size of a bear with thick, scaly armor covering it from the top of its head to its tail,” Axel had warned her. “The only place that shows vulnerability is its underbelly, and unless you are suicidal or going in for the kill, don’t go beneath its trampling hooves.”

She finally came close enough to see them. The small herd was making short work of the thick mountain grass. They seemed docile enough.

“They’re just grazing, they must have been traveling by the leak when they came into the human world.”

She drew a little closer. “I should find the portal and try to herd them back into Allosfaire.”

Roxanne took her compass, ran her nails along the grooves, closed her eyes, opened her senses, and whispered an older than age incantation. “Only home, permit my entrance.”

Through the darkness, the sensation of the mystical energy swarmed at her in whimsical shapes. Wild, earthy smells filled her nose and shivers ran up her spine.

She turned her head slowly as she analyzed each spot of the blur. When she finally spotted the direction of the pulsating leak, she opened her eyes and there before her was the entrance to Allosfaire.

“Found it,” she smiled and began walking. “I’ll go just for a few minutes.”

She stepped through the writhing vortex and beheld the sights of the ancient realm.

A warm breeze swept over a field and tickled her legs, while the tall grass and blue-hued mountains framed the horizon. She recognized their craggy, towering rock formations. Miles high, inscribed on its turquoise surface, were the grooved symbols that had been here before any lycanthropes could remember, and were probably older than Allosfaire itself.

Roxanne felt for the gold coated compass. Centuries ago, its needle was chipped from the blue metallic, rocky landmark referred to as the Talisman Mountains. No matter where in the human world, the little blue needle would always point to the nearest portal. And in Allosfaire, it would point back to the center, where Talisman stood.

The story went that Allosfaire was one of the grounds between paradise and the underworld. It existed as a physical realm where angels and demons had their own land in which to venture and extend their powers. However, in order to exist physically here, they borrowed the characteristics of beasts found in the human world and bestowed their own creations.

These inhabitants included hybrids, shape shifters, angel and demon incarnate, and all other creatures divided between loyalties. Many stories followed, some that entwined with human history, others that remained in mystery.

When Roxanne was a little girl, her parents had brought her here for her birthday. Roxanne was bedazzled by the strange creatures that were thought to be extinct or imaginary. The land looked like it was carved from a fairy tale or the most surreal painting of every beautiful landscape imaginable.

Her ears perked up when told about how the Linxei tribe conjured up dream-like markets, the beautiful parties where nymphs and kind satyrs danced together, festivals that took place in beautiful carnivals, and the hunts that lasted until dawn.

Roxanne gazed up at the starry sky. Among the constellations, she could see a beautiful blend of green, blue, and violet aurora lights swirling in and out.

“It’s the mystical energy constantly contracting and expanding with the dimension of the human realm,” she declared to herself. “All the trouble with leaks begins with a solar storm.”

The strong, sweet scent of fermentation filled the air as Roxanne walked under a lone fruit tree. Something small and agile shifted through the branches and chittered as she drew near.

When she felt something hard hit her head, she turned her attention to the tree.

“Ouch! What on earth?” she growled, holding her temple.

She stepped back and looked up at the tree top. Ten little brownies chittered humorously at her expense. The biggest one had his paws full of the ripe fruit. An animalistic grin stretched at the corner of his muzzle and his stripy tail curled in and out with satisfaction. Roxanne noticed a bruised pomegranate that had contacted her head, now lying at her feet.

She put two and two together.

“Blasted things, I ought to line my winter boots with your worthless fur!” she called up to them. The little imps chuckled like mischievous squirrels. Some raced around the tree trunk hoping to taunt her while keeping their distance.

Brownies, the beings the size of squirrels with dog like faces and red panda tails lived for mischief, but other than that they were fairly harmless.

She bent down, picked up the fruit, and peeled back the skin before picking out the juicy seeds and popping them into her mouth.

“But I suppose you giving up this fine treat is punishment enough,” she teased, before sinking her teeth into the core.

Tart juice dribbled down her lips and to her chin for dramatic effect. The leader clearly saw the loss and that she made light of the situation. His amusement was steeped with annoyance, but he remained in his place out of her reach. One of the more curious brownies followed her out to the tall grass.

She turned and examined the humble beast. It was smaller than the others and had beady eyes. The creature stood on its hind legs and flattened its ears while thumping its brown and red tail.

“It must be a baby,” she thought. “It’s still cute.”

Roxanne split the fruit in half and tossed it a piece. The little brownie caught it with its front paws and whined happily as it raced back to the tree eager to show its catch. Roxanne laughed and walked on unscathed.

She continued on until she saw the dark silhouettes of porswine grazing near the Talisman Mountains’ walls.

“If there’s one thing I know about those pigs, it’s when they’re ready to mate, they’ll leave the herd and seek their own grounds temporarily. The portal must have opened and those stupid brutes just ambled on through.”

After leaving the Swiftred hills through the portal and returning to the forest in the human world, she strung a translucent wire around the rocks and trees and made a makeshift perimeter where they lumbered. Then, she retrieved a small bottle made of glass and wire with a long cord tied to the end of it. Inside was a special explosive that would erupt when triggered. The bottle was made to rustle its contents inside and make whatever noises or distractions were needed. This tactic was called false lead, and proved to be a useful tool, whether for confusing prey or fumbling a pursuer.

Roxanne tossed the bottle near the small herd’s position and gave it a hard tug. The sound went off and the porswine became alarmed. It took some effort, but eventually Roxanne managed to herd them back through. She shifted to her wolf form and sniffed the air. Only the scent of one porswine lingered. It was a bull and he was less than happy to be trifled with by a werewolf.

“Great, don’t tell me I have to lasso you in?”

As if to spite her words, the bull charged.

She dropped the bottle and leapt into the nearest tree to avoid being gored, but the bull wasn’t done yet. He rammed into the little tree, causing it to split and Roxanne to lose her grip and fall.

Leaving her little time to recover, he attacked again.

Roxanne was forced sharply back against the trees to avoid his tusks. The sharp branch raked her back from shoulder to shoulder. She clamped her teeth together, while wildly grabbing anything to pull herself out of the way and into the safety of low growing foliage.

It seemed to work as the bull lost interest and continued pacing within the perimeter. Roxanne took the time to examine her wounds and frowned. Her fur was matted with blood and the cut stung horribly.

“Stupid pig, I try getting you back with the others and you act like a fucking horse’s ass!”

Feeling annoyed, she knew she couldn’t leave it to wander in the human world.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve had meat served fresh from my homeland.”

After scouting out a safe area, she set some of the spare tactical wire in front of her. Taking a large rock from the ground, she flung it at the beast.

All it really did was make him angry, but that was exactly what she needed.

With steam blowing from its snout and kicking up dirt with its massive hooves, the beast charged one last time. At the perfect moment Roxanne triggered the wire to shoot up and trip the beast so that he stumbled head over hooves.

With his underbelly exposed, Roxanne leapt forward and bore her fangs into its neck. When the porswine finally lay still she spoke in a human voice.

“May you fare in the next world better than you did in this one.”

The next sound was a triumphant howl that echoed over the valley before she took in her fill.

The tree frog’s song had picked up when she changed to her human form. She examined her profile in the blade of her knife and frowned. There were leaves and brambles entwined in her braid and clothes and she was soaked from head to toe in sweat and blood.

“After I dispose of you, I’m heading to my long over-due bath,” she declared, as she gave the porswine’s leg a hard pull.

A twig snapped behind her and she whipped around to see a leg darting behind a tree.

“Who’s there?” she called. No answer. “Look, I know you’re there, you think I didn’t see you slip behind that tree!”

The looker showed himself.

“Zaac! What are you doing here? It’s dangerous in this part of the woods?!” she asked, half stunned so that she could barely speak.

“Ironically, I know, and believe me it took a few attempts to track you,” he replied, huffily.

“Track me? I was just going for a run, nothing to get excited over,” Roxanne said, rather concerned on keeping attention away from the porswine corpse.

“You don’t have to lie. I know you’ve been going out every night since you’ve been here, Carly,” he assured her and then grew bold.

“Or should I call you Roxanne?”

Roxanne’s eyes narrowed. With the combination of the scent of blood in the air and the fact that a mortal was taunting her, she took on a menacing half wolf form. She gruffly grabbed him by the throat and forced him back into a tree.

“I don’t know who sent you, but you are not fit to challenge me,” she hissed. “There are endless places I could hide you and no one would ever know.”

Zaac grimaced in her grip, so she hesitantly loosened it. “However, the last thing I need right now is for your blood on my hands. If you spill anything of what you’ve seen, it will get back to one of my kind and they won’t give you the same clemency as I.”

Zaac gasped with relief as she let him go and stepped back.

He stumbled to his feet and steadied himself against the trunk. Roxanne was surprised when he didn’t take off running.

“What are you waiting for? Get out of here.”

“Roxanne, please? I know all about you and the lycanthropes. I figured I would get a chance to meet you with the porswine sightings. I know your kind likes to keep a lid on things like that,” he pleaded.

“Oh, geeze if you’re trying to cash in on a new ad with Big Foot or Nessie than you might as well forget it,” she snorted.

“No, I promise it’s nothing like that. If there’s anything I know about lycanthropes it’s not to go blabbing about their existence,” he laughed, nervously.

“If you’re not planning on exposing us than what are your intentions?” she asked, studying the young human. “And how did you know my real name?”

“It’s kind of a long story,” Zaac replied. “Besides, didn’t it help that I propped your window up so you could get in without being seen?”

“That was you?” Roxanne asked, surprised.

“Guess I was a little use to you after all,” he grinned.

Roxanne gave a half smile and shrugged. “You can be even more help to me by helping me haul this loaf of meat. After which, you can fill me in on the story.”

Zaac walked around the other side of the porswine and was taken aback by the size and body structure of the beast.

“Holy shit, is this…? I mean did you...?” Zaac asked befuddled.

Roxanne smirked.

“Behold, your ‘giant mountain boar’.”

“Damn, how did you bring this thing down?” he asked, as he helped her drag the carcass.

“Believe me it was a hassle, but we Lycans have our tactics,” she replied. “The main pinpoint is the underbelly. It’s the only place on its body that doesn’t have that armored hide. That and its eyes,”

The two hauled the porswine a few more yards before Roxanne motioned for him to stop.

“Thank you, but I’ll drag him the rest of the way,”

“What’s ‘the rest of the way’?” Zaac asked.

“Just beyond that rock pile. Got to get it out of sight ya know?”

“Wait a minute. Do you mean Allosfaire?” he asked, his eyes widening. Roxanne had been afraid of that.

“Doesn’t matter, I’ll handle the rest,” she replied curtly.

“I’ve heard so many stories about that place. Could I maybe just get a glimpse of it?”

Roxanne shook her head, preparing for an argument.

“Sorry, Zaac but I really want to shut off the gate before anything else comes through.”

“Too late for that,” came a husky voice.

The two glanced up to see a nightmarish figure perched in a tree above them. Its distinctive spurred feet, willowy humanoid frame, and feline features made it obvious it was a familiar. It was a demon bred creature with shape shifting abilities and psychological projecting powers.

“Oh shit,” Roxanne muttered.

“Don’t tell me you want to shut off all the fun before things get interesting now,” he taunted. “Think about it, the human reporters are going to have such a big story to cover when a certain, tender journalist goes missing.”

“Zaac, get behind me and whatever you do don’t speak to it,” Roxanne whispered.

Without arguing, he retreated behind her as if she were a guard dog.

“So, you were the one that opened the portal, figured something fishy was going on,” Roxanne called to the demon, trying to sound much braver than she actually was.

“Yes, I’ve grown fond of this place. I see you must be in initiation, with a human assisting you too.”

“We all got to start somewhere.”

The familiar laughed. “You all got to stop somewhere too.”

“This is your hint to make yourself scarce,” she told Zaac.

Without another word, Roxanne grabbed a fistful of dust and flung it in the familiar’s direction. The act caught him off guard, but he quickly reacted as she attempted to strike.

Grabbing her arm and bending forward, he roughly knocked her to the ground in a submission hold. The only thing that blocked his spur was her rearing her leg up and kicking him squarely in the jaw.

He released his grip and stumbled away as Roxanne brought out her crossbow, a fine weapon she’d been saving for this task, but he had disappeared.

She rolled on to her feet, brandishing her weapon she took a few steps forward. “Zaac?” she whispered.

There was no answer.

“If the fam had gotten him, he probably would have made some noise,” she thought to reassure herself.

Either way he was probably safe so she could turn her attention to hunting down an estranged branch of her family.

“With that compass he acquired, he must have used its charm to make the leak stretch and allow him to break out of Allosfaire. I could use my own compass to close the portal and cause him to retreat.”

She kept searching.

“If that portal closes, he’ll be powerless should he be stuck on this side,” Roxanne continued. “Or would that just bring about more trouble?”

The option was to hunt down the familiar and take back the compass, then she could close the portal. It would be a tough task, but it was the most assured outcome.

“You can do this,” she assured herself before shifting form to pick up his trail. It seemed to come from above her, though it was hard to keep track with the familiar constantly moving about. She took aim as he pounced behind her. The bolt just grazed him as he quickly dodged and then disappeared again.

The scent went cold after that. Roxanne had her finger wrapped behind the trigger as she loaded another arrow. “Where are you, you meddling creep?”

Something moved up ahead. She braced herself as she circled around the tree to find Zaac crouching.

Roxanne’s heart beat fast. “Zaac, thank god, are you okay?” she asked, lowering her gun.

“Yeah,” he replied standing up and walking toward her.

Roxanne’s gaze shifted behind her to make sure the coast was clear.

“Listen, I need you to get out of here, that fam could pop out anytime,” she said turning back to him and then froze.

His hazel eyes flashed golden, sickle shaped, and were smiling wickedly. Before she could bring her bow up, the beast pounced forward and pinned her down.

The werewolf struggled beneath the Zaac imposter as he cackled maliciously.

“That has got to be the oldest trick in the book,” he taunted.

The change reverted him back to his true form as he brought his spurred hand into the nook of her shoulder as she screamed in pain.

She reached for her knife as the familiar jumped off before she could make contact. Roxanne rolled on to her side, trying to apply pressure and hold off the venom from spreading. Not much good came of that. Familiars didn’t rely on fighting head on with their adversaries. Picking them off while they were suffering from their mind games was their preferred style.

In her pain and fury, she ran her nails into the ground. There was nothing she could do to stop what would come next. The venom had taken affect and the hallucination began to dispel a twisted version of her surroundings.

Black greenish vines snaked over the trees and rocks, neutralizing any distinguishing landmarks. Several bumps sprouted from the vine’s skin that resembled cat like eyes.

She recoiled in disgust as she stumbled forward. The clear night sky became fogged with purple and red streaks. Roxanne dropped to her knees and crawled over the ground to try to pick up a scent, however the grass began to form molten mounds. Every time she came on a trail, the scent seemed to pick itself up and float off.

When she did find the trail again, the sadistic beast always seemed one step ahead of her. Roxanne felt something spinney snag her around the ankle, and drag her in an upward angle as she made the mistake of coming too close.

Her crossbow slipped out of her hand and hit the ground.

Upside-down, she gazed up in time to see the familiar lunging at her. As she crossed her arms over her face to protect herself, the beast slashed a row in her forearm with his claws.

Holding back her tears, she shrieked, reached up to her leg holster for her knife, and tried to stab her attacker. He simply dodged the blade with little effort and disappeared again. After a few attempts Roxanne craned her upper body so that she could cut the vine and hit the ground with a hard thud.

“Sad that your first task will end this way,” the familiar laughed.

Feeling overwhelmed and weakened, Roxanne tried to reach out for Axel or anyone that might hear her.

“Axel please, I’m caught up in a familiar attack. Can you hear me?” she pleaded, but nothing responded that she wanted to hear.

“Sorry, Lovely, but there’s no escape in madness.”

The creature’s voice crooned, almost sounding like it was coming from inside her head.

Roxanne continued forward, shooting the eyes and dodging the ever-reaching vines along the way. She tried to follow the scent again, but it was like the very air that held the odor would drift off in means to taunt her.

“This trail is futile. Probably because what I’m seeing is just an image projected in my head,” Roxanne grumbled impatiently. “Some of that familiar’s blood might solve the trick, now to actually get it.”

Bracing herself, and advancing to a tangle of black vines, she kept her crossbow lowered. This time, her knife was awaiting beneath her sleeve.

“Come and get me,” she beckoned.

The vines slapped around her arms and legs and strung her into the air. He attacked again though Roxanne had made sure to keep a tight grip on her knife before falling into the trap. She bent her wrist and cut her arm free from the animated vine.

With the tension loose, she swung her arm and slashed a row of her own with her knife before he struck. The familiar let out a feral cat screech and cursed as he quickly folded away from her attack, but not before leaving his blood on her blade.

He may have been out of her sight, but she had his actual scent and could now retrace his steps to the portal, even among the nightmare shifted woods.

Finally, the trail took her to a small blue light. Roxanne reached for her compass and mimicked the incantation. She was only a few steps from being able to close it and felt something heavy knock her to the ground.

“Oh, so close,”

Roxanne tried to push herself up but a horny foot drove her back into the dirt.

She felt his claws make a sharp grip around her neck as he lowered his head beside hers and whispered into her ear.

“You know, I actually didn’t have my own compass. I’ve just been monitoring this leak when it opened naturally,” he taunted as he reached for her compass.

“But now I won’t have to wait for a storm.”

His nails entwined with the chain and then suddenly released as he howled in pain. A blood drenched Zaac had snuck up and rammed the sharp end of a branch behind his shoulder.

Spitting and cursing, the familiar slashed his claws and tore a shredded row across the front of Zaac’s shirt. The young man staggered back from the blow as the familiar narrowed his golden eyes and advanced towards him.

Roxanne saw her chance and leapt toward the portal.

With one hand holding the compass and the other curving toward Allosfaire she recited the spell and then stepped away as the mystical energy began to shift back to the other realm.

“If you don’t want to be trapped here, I suggest you amble through,” Roxanne taunted triumphantly. The familiar looked befuddled, but his grin appeared once more.

“Well played, Lovely. I imagine with this successful run in, your initiation is over and fulfilled. We will probably meet again,” he threatened darkly.

Roxanne felt uneasy but smiled.

“Not without this,” she replied as she lifted her compass’s chain on her extended middle finger.

The familiar shook his head before turning to the portal and walking through as the last of the mystical energy retreated with him. There was no evidence of any branching and Roxanne began to see clearly as the venom disappeared.

Roxanne exhaled softly as she tucked her compass beneath her collar.

She turned back to Zaac for the first time since the attack. He had helped her accomplish her tasks and probably saved her life. She owed him more than he might know.

“Thank you,” she smiled with relief.

“Glad I was useful,” he chuckled softly. Roxanne smiled and walked towards him.

“You have no idea,” she said, giving him a kiss on the cheek. She wrinkled her nose and considered that he was caked with blood.

“Mother Wolf, what happened to you?”

“Don’t worry, it’s not my own. I figured it would cover up my scent,” he replied.

“Very clever, though I can’t say I know too many humans that would stick around those things.”

“If I had run, that thing wouldn’t have let me leave the forest alive once it got you.”

“Hmph, very chivalrous of you,” she raised an eyebrow.

“I try my best,” he smiled, his green eyes flashing playfully. “Honestly though, I really do reek.”

“Yeah, there’s no way we can go back to the camp like that. You need a bath as much as I do.”

Zaac looked puzzled.

“If not at the camp then where?”

“There’s a really pretty, secluded spring a little farther down in the valley,” said Roxanne, taking his hand. “I always wash up there after my hunt. C’mon.”

“Wait, what about the porswine corpse?” Zaac asked.

“It’s well off the trail and underneath all this underbrush. I think it will be fine while it decomposes,” she shrugged while gazing out into the woods. “Plus, in nature nothing goes to waste.”

“You’re not worried someone might find it?”

“Doesn’t matter,” she said, turning back to him and looking him in the eye.

“There is no way I’m opening that gate again.”

***

“The order of Grexis, huh?” Zaac asked, bending back and soaking his hair in the pool.

“Yeah, fighting monsters and cleaning up Allosfaire’s spills since I don’t know, when Romulus cursed us all to be confined here,” Roxanne replied, while scrubbing the dirt beneath her nails.

“You’ve got it hard,” Zaac shook his head. “Putting up a fight for two millennia would take a toll.”

“The Pack always tried to stay close in the beginning. After the fall of Rome, as things slowly fell apart, the order of Grexis hasn’t always kept a strong form.”

“Geeze, it’s hard to think a human society could affect werewolves,”

“Well, half of our lives are tied with human affairs. We’re concerned with what happens too, as we keep an unsuspicious profile.”

“You will have to forgive me because I’m a little new to this, but why do lycanthropes bother keeping a good human profile? Isn’t it their goal to break back into Allosfaire?”

“Correction, many of my kind have already made it back into Allosfaire. It’s not whether we can get there. It’s a matter if we can stay.”

“Care to elaborate?” Zaac inquired.

“Aclarenchia, the ‘mythical’ wolf that nurtured Romulus and Remus back to health, punished Romulus for slaying his brother by setting a task of finding the cure of the madness caused by lingering in Allosfaire. Once found or completed the lycanthropes would be free to be able to stay in the Other Realm, where they wouldn’t be outnumbered by Man. However, because we’re part human ourselves, Allosfaire has effects on our sanity. It’s like we can’t comprehend its existence, and the Lycans that stay too long become feral.”

“So, they turn into wolves or animals?”

“Oh, they’re worse than animals. They succumb to their beast side. When triggered from physical trauma, they discard their conscience and rely only on their instinct. We refer to them as rabids. They can still manipulate their form, or shape shift.”

“Yikes, that’s some crazy stuff,” Zaac said.

Roxanne laughed. “Oh no, that’s the better alternative to dwelling in Allosfaire. What we just met up with was the worst deal.”

“Oh yeah, I’ve read about how familiars are the offspring between lycanthropes and demons. Interesting mix huh?”

Roxanne smirked. “Don’t worry. I think we’ve both awkwardly imagined how messed up the sex was.”

Both of them laughed.

“No need to sugarcoat it,” said Zaac.

“We’re both adults here. I do not sugarcoat,” Roxanne replied, diving into the water.

When she came up again, she examined Zaac’s physique and couldn’t help noticing he was quite attractive. His thick, light brown hair tickled below his ears and his toned, half naked body appeared sleek from the forest pool.

Roxanne allowed herself to enjoy the view, but quickly brought her attention to the burning question.

“So, you mentioned how you knew my real identity, what’s up?” she asked.

“My grandfather spent a huge part of his life trying to reawaken the wolf inside him,” Zaac replied.

“You mean he’s a remnant?” She asked.

“Yep, too many of my ancestors preferred to breed with humans and forget their other side.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. I worry that will happen to my parents too,” she sympathized.

“Not all is lost. I still sense some vibrations from full werewolves,” he said.

“Like pinpointing my location in the middle of a forest?”

“Yeah, it probably would have taken me a little longer, had you not used the lovely hiking trails,” Zaac declared, shifting the mood with a tease.

“Hey, I’ve been spending so much time diving through wild underbrush, it was about time to get a little break.”

“Yeah, you could have gotten a break had you not pissed Josie off by taking your kids on the really off beaten path,” Zaac joked.

“Just trying to combine different duties into one go, besides this scam of a camp really doesn’t live up to its motto with “let’s bring the wild to your children”. She should have taken it that I was giving them an actual adventure,” Roxanne defended herself.

“And does this actual adventure include werewolves, other dimensions, and impersonating demons?” he joked.

Roxanne smirked. “Fortunately for them, no.”

“For you, that’s all in another life, right?” Zaac gave a half smile.

“The many,” she said, and then emerged from the pool in her half wolf form for modesty’s sake. Zaac came out with her and retrieved his clothes from a rock. The young man shivered from the brisk night air, that and the fact that he was wearing only his soaked underwear. Roxanne shook her fur and stretched her arms over her pointy eared head.

“Well Mister soggy-shorts, if you wouldn’t mind waiting for a moment, I need to make a quick call.”

Zaac looked over and crooked his head. “I can’t imagine you’re going to have any bars in this location, besides who are you…?” he began to say and then stopped himself when he knew what she meant.

“I’ll be waiting right here.”

Roxanne concealed herself behind a few cedar trees that overlooked a ledge and gave her an even bigger view of the valley. She concentrated and reached out for her mentor.

“Axel?” There was silence, so she called out again.

“Axel, can you hear me?”

“Roxanne?” came a groggy voice and then he composed himself. “Yes, I can hear you, what’s the status?”

“Completed, all wanderers have been funneled back through and the leak has been closed and contained.”

“Thank god. Not that I didn’t have faith that you would succeed,” he assured her. “Was it a hassle?”

Roxanne laughed. “Oh, do I have a story to tell you.”

“Did they not want to go through?” he asked.

“Yes, but that wasn’t the problem.”

“Care to tell?”

“Let’s just say, I might suffer from minor hallucinations and a few nightmares involving the Cheshire Cat,” she replied.

There was a brief pause, but Axel knew what she meant.

“You’re kidding, right?”

“About a lot of stuff, but not with this matter.”

“Are you okay? Did he hurt you?”

“I’m here talking with you, aren’t I?” Roxanne stated. “No, I’m fine. He landed a few blows, but the important thing is he’s back on the other side and won’t get back through for a while. I’ll admit, I did have some help.”

“Well save some of that for when you return for your ascension,” he said, sounding tired. “It’s still Sunday, right?”

“Yeah, just move it for the evening rather than the morning. I’m making a little detour,” she said before letting him go.

Roxanne returned to find Zaac mostly dried and dressing himself. She checked the sky and knew it was nearing 3 am. It would be a long trek back, but Roxanne knew how to make some time.

“Almost ready to go?” she called. “We ought to have a few hours of shut eye before the camp wakes up.”

“Yeah, just finishing drying up,” he replied, wringing out his t-shirt and pulling it over his head. “How are we going to make it back in time? It’s several miles uphill.”

Roxanne smiled. “Well, since you were so much help to me, I’m going to give you a little treat. Have you ever ridden a lycanthrope before?”

Zaac looked taken back. “Um, no, all I’ve done is a little horseback riding,” he laughed, nervously.

“Well, then, you get to try something new,” she grinned.

Zaac still didn’t know what to make of the offer. Roxanne just flashed him a mischievous smile. “Come on, take a walk on the weird side.”

Finally, Zaac stepped forward. Roxanne shifted her body to wolf and lowered herself so he could climb on.

Once atop, she zipped down the path with lightning speed. Her rider dug his nails into her fur as she made a detour.

“Remember, keep low and hold on with your legs,” she told him.

“Wait a minute, Roxanne where are we going?!” he yelled.

She didn’t answer, instead she howled excitedly as she leapt from a ledge into the open air.

With Zaac groaning and holding on for dear life, she landed flawlessly on the opposite side before racing up the mountain. All the way, the loyal full moon guided their path.